Morphological and phylogenetic characterisation of novel Cytospora species associated with mangroves

Mangroves are relatively unexplored habitats and have been shown to harbour a number of novel species of fungi. In this study, samples of microfungi were collected from symptomatic branches, stem and leaves of the mangrove species Xylocarpus granatum, X. moluccensis and Lumnitzera racemosa and examined morphologically. The phylogeny recovered supports our morphological data to introduce three new species, Cytospora lumnitzericola, C. thailandica and C. xylocarpi. In addition, a combined multi-gene DNA sequence dataset (ITS, LSU, ACT and RPB2) was analysed to investigate phylogenetic relationships of isolates and help in a more reliable species identification

Fungal diversity notes 929–1035: taxonomic and phylogenetic contributions on genera and species of fungi

This article is the ninth in the series of Fungal Diversity Notes, where 107 taxa distributed in three phyla, nine classes, 31 orders and 57 families are described and illustrated. Taxa described in the present study include 12 new genera, 74 new species, three new combinations, two reference specimens, a re-circumscription of the epitype, and 15 records of sexualasexual morph connections, new hosts and new geographical distributions. Twelve new genera comprise Brunneofusispora, Brunneomurispora, Liua, Lonicericola, Neoeutypella, Paratrimmatostroma, Parazalerion, Proliferophorum, Pseudoastrosphaeriellopsis, Septomelanconiella, Velebitea and Vicosamyces. Seventy-four new species are Agaricus memnonius, A. langensis, Aleurodiscus patagonicus, Amanita flavoalba, A. subtropicana, Amphisphaeria mangrovei, Baorangia major, Bartalinia kunmingensis, Brunneofusispora sinensis, Brunneomurispora lonicerae, Capronia camelliaeyunnanensis, Clavulina thindii, Coniochaeta simbalensis, Conlarium thailandense, Coprinus trigonosporus, Liua muriformis, Cyphellophora filicis, Cytospora ulmicola, Dacrymyces invisibilis, Dictyocheirospora metroxylonis, Distoseptispora thysanolaenae, Emericellopsis koreana, Galiicola baoshanensis, Hygrocybe lucida, Hypoxylon teeravasati, Hyweljonesia indica, Keissleriella caraganae, Lactarius olivaceopallidus, Lactifluus midnapurensis, Lembosia brigadeirensis, Leptosphaeria urticae, Lonicericola hyaloseptispora, Lophiotrema mucilaginosis, Marasmiellus bicoloripes, Marasmius indojasminodorus, Micropeltis phetchaburiensis, Mucor orantomantidis, Murilentithecium lonicerae, Neobambusicola brunnea, Neoeutypella baoshanensis, Neoroussoella heveae, Neosetophoma lonicerae, Ophiobolus malleolus, Parabambusicola thysanolaenae, Paratrimmatostroma kunmingensis, Parazalerion indica, Penicillium dokdoense, Peroneutypa mangrovei, Phaeosphaeria cycadis, Phanerochaete australosanguinea, Plectosphaerella kunmingensis, Plenodomus artemisiae, P. lijiangensis, Proliferophorum thailandicum, Pseudoastrosphaeriellopsis kaveriana, Pseudohelicomyces menglunicus, Pseudoplagiostoma mangiferae, Robillarda mangiferae, Roussoella elaeicola, Russula choptae, R. uttarakhandia, Septomelanconiella thailandica, Spencermartinsia acericola, Sphaerellopsis isthmospora, Thozetella lithocarpi, Trechispora echinospora, Tremellochaete atlantica, Trichoderma koreanum, T. pinicola, T. rugulosum, Velebitea chrysotexta, Vicosamyces venturisporus, Wojnowiciella kunmingensis and Zopfiella indica. Three new combinations are Baorangia rufomaculata, Lanmaoa pallidorosea and Wojnowiciella rosicola. The reference specimens of Canalisporium kenyense and Tamsiniella labiosa are designated. The epitype of Sarcopeziza sicula is re-circumscribed based on cyto- and histochemical analyses. The sexual-asexual morph connection of Plenodomus sinensis is reported from ferns and Cirsium for the first time. In addition, the new host records and country records are Amanita altipes, A. melleialba, Amarenomyces dactylidis, Chaetosphaeria panamensis, Coniella vitis, Coprinopsis kubickae, Dothiorella sarmentorum, Leptobacillium leptobactrum var. calidus, Muyocopron lithocarpi, Neoroussoella solani, Periconia cortaderiae, Phragmocamarosporium hederae, Sphaerellopsis paraphysata and Sphaeropsis eucalypticola

Morphology, ecology and chorology of Mniaecia jungermanniae (Ascomycota) in Belgium and the significance of its association to leafy liverworts (Jungermanniales).

Mniaecia jungermanniae (Nees ex Fr,) Boud., recently found in the Brabantian phytogeographical District (Belgium), is described on the basis of the collected specimens, Its distribution in Belgium is mapped by considering all the localities mentioned in Belgian herbaria as well as in the literature. This tiny discomycete is strictly linked to leafy liverworts (Jungermanniales) : the hyphae of the fungus grow as parasites inside their rhizoids and do not seem associated - as in other symbioses between ascomycetes and bryophytes - to algae. Consequently, the association between Mniaecia and leafy liverworts looks like a biotrophic parasitism, and may be interpreted as the first step from a destructive parasitism towards a mutualistic symbiosis

Allozyme diversity and genetic structure of European populations of Sorbus aucuparia L. (Rosaceae : Maloideae)

Genetic diversity at 10 loci encoding six enzymes was studied in 17 European populations of Sorbus aucuparia L. (the rowan), distributed among five regions, from Finland to the Pyrenees. Levels of genetic diversity were high both at the species level (H-e = 0.229) and within populations (mean H-e = 0.212), whereas levels of differentiation among populations were very low (G(ST) = 0.060). These values were comparable to those observed in other woody species with similar ecological traits. Populations from the Plateau des Tailles (Belgium) exhibited an unexpectedly high level of differentiation among populations, which was tentatively explained by the recent history of colonization experienced by these populations. Despite the low overall differentiation, geographical patterns were observed. Gene flow estimates and geographical distances between pairs of populations appeared to be correlated (r = -0.483), resulting in a pattern of isolation by distance, which was disrupted to some extent by the local dynamics of the Tailles populations. Cluster analysis revealed that populations were genetically more similar to populations from the same region compared to populations from other geographical groups. Finnish populations, in particular, appeared to be highly differentiated from more southerly populations

Rubinosporus auriporus gen. et sp. nov. (Boletaceae: Xerocomoideae) from Tropical Forests of Thailand, Producing Unusual Dark Ruby Spore Deposits

Rubinosporus, a new bolete genus from tropical forests of Thailand is introduced with R. auriporus as the type species. The genus is unique among Xerocomoideae in producing dark ruby spore deposits. It can be differentiated from all other Boletaceae genera by the following combination of characters: pileus surface evenly covered with matted tomentum; stipe surface with evenly scattered minute squamules; golden yellow tubular hymenophore, which is relatively thin especially when young; unchanging surfaces and context when bruised or cut; smooth, broadly ellipsoid basidiospores; and dark ruby spore deposits. The Boletaceae-wide and Xerocomoideae-wide phylogenetic analyses based on four-gene data sets (atp6, cox3, rpb2, and tef1) support Rubinosporus as monophyletic and places it in Boletaceae subfamily Xerocomoideae. Full descriptions and illustrations of the new genus and species are presented

Cacaoporus, a new Boletaceae genus, with two new species from Thailand

We introduce a new genus, Cacaoporus, characterised by chocolate brown to dark brown basidiomata and hymenophore, tubes not separable from the pileus context, white to off-white basal mycelium, reddening when bruised, amygdaliform to ovoid spores and dark brown spore deposit. Phylogenetic analyses of a four-gene dataset (atp6, tef1, rpb2 and cox3) with a wide selection of Boletaceae showed that the new genus is monophyletic and sister to the genera Cupreoboletus and Cyanoboletus in the Pulveroboletus group. Two new species in the genus, C. pallidicarneus and C. tenebrosus are described from northern Thailand. Full descriptions and illustrations of the new genus and species are presented. The phylogeny also confirmed the reciprocal monophyly of Neoboletus and Sutorius, which further support the separation of these two genera

Diversity and spatial structure of clones in Vaccinium uliginosum populations

In Belgium, a total of three Vaccinium species with a shrub or dwarf shrub growth form can be found: Vaccinium myrtillus L., Vaccinium vitis-idaea L., and Vaccinium uliginosum L. Vaccinium uliginosum is the only one of these for which the extent of clonality is unknown. Therefore, the clonal structure of two V. uliginosum populations was inferred from random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) markers. Among the 47 sampled patches, 61 clones were identified. The mean values of the number of clones divided by the number of samples (G/N), the Simpson's index (D), and the genotypic evenness (E) were 0.28, 0.95, and 0.96, respectively. Vaccinium uliginosum exhibited a typical phalanx growth strategy that resulted in structured populations at the ramet level, that is, ramets belonging to the same clone were closely associated and formed distinct clumps. However, at the clone level, populations were not structured, that is, genetic distances between pairs of clones were not correlated with the spatial distances between the clones within a population. Genetic diversity was as high as that in nonclonal species (mean value of Shannon's diversity index (H-o) = 0.647). In accord with the life history traits of V. uliginosum (long-lived species with a mixed breeding system and potentially high seed dispersal), most of the genetic variation was found within populations

Clonal structure in Vaccinium myrtillus L. revealed by RAPD and AFLP markers

The identification of clones and their spatial distribution is necessary to study the dynamics and evolution of clonal plant populations. Therefore, clonal structure of a Vaccinium myrtillus population was inferred from random amplified polymorphic DNA ( RAPD) and amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) markers. Among the 112 analyzed samples, 32 clones were identified. The results obtained with RAPDs and AFLPs were identical, showing that both molecular markers worked effectively in clone identification of bilberry. The population was clonally structured in the sense that the extent of clones was spatially limited; that is, clones formed discrete patches. However, the genetic distances between pairs of clones were not related to the spatial distances between them, indicating that the genetic variation among clones was distributed randomly in the studied area. The genotypic diversity (D = 0.94) and evenness (E = 0.92) observed in V. myrtillus were similar to other Ericaceae species. The observed relationship between the mean similarity index calculated between clones and the outcrossing rate of Ericaceous species indicates that this mean similarity index could be used as a rough estimator of the mating system of plant species

Inbreeding depression and biased paternity after mixed-pollination in Vaccinium myrtillus L. (Ericaceae)

We conducted a greenhouse study on Vaccinium myrtillus (a perennial species with a mixed mating system) to compare the fertility parameters following self-, cross-, and mixed-pollinations. Using an isozyme polymorphism, we also determined the proportion of selfed offspring in progenies obtained after mixed-pollinations. A high level of early inbreeding depression was observed (delta = 0.67), and a bias in the genetic representation of self and outcross markers in progenies from mixed-pollinations was detected. Offspring from mixed-pollinations were sired mainly (84.1%) by cross- pollen. The proportion of selfed offspring was correlated with the inbreeding depression estimates. However, those proportions were higher than the proportions expected on the basis of the individual inbreeding depression estimates. This might be explained by selective abortion of selfed embryos rather than prezygotic selection against self- pollen tubes